TV Rankings
When the show aired its first season in 1958-1959 it was ranked 4th most popular show on television. An incredible 14,547,450 viewers watched The Rifleman while there were 43,950,000 households with a television set in America at the time. Viewership steadily dropped off over the following four seasons, with the show eventually dropping out of the top 30 in 1962-1963.
TV Rankings
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Archie Butler
According to Arnold Laven, stuntman Archie Butler showed up in more episodes than any other minor cast members. He doubled for Paul Fix and appeared in the rodeo scenes. He also helped with the stunts they might need. In the ‘50s and ‘60s, stuntmen were daredevils with a penchant for calculated risks.
Archie Butler
